"Broken?" she repeated. It had seemed to be ticking just fine when he'd held the watch out before. In fact, she could still hear it through the man's coat pocket.

A scratching noise from above them interrupted her thoughts. "Damn crows," the man growled. "They been pestering me for weeks. Knew you was coming, I'll warrant." Ava didn't know what to make of that.

He grinned. "Yes, it's broken, lass, that's why your granddad abandoned it in the first place. Made a right mess of things, he did. But," he added, holding out his hand expectantly, "if you allow me to translate that message you've got, we might be able to--finally--put it right." Ava glanced at Abe, who looked altogether flummoxed. Neither of them had mentioned the parchment, still folded tightly and hidden from sight in Ava's clenched fist.